For years, this paper did not tap the commercial establishments for advertisements especially during its anniversaries. Their response for this special issue is greatly appreciated.

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Casiguran, Sorsogon Mayor Edwin “Boboy” Hamor is not running for senator or even a seat in the proposed regional government under Duterte’s federalism.

The speculation about Hamor’s intent was brought about the spectacle he unleashed on Viracnons, and to a lesser extent, on San Migueleños, last week when by his lonesome, he gave away over a million pesos of cash, motorcycles, refrigerators, sala sets and hundreds of electric fans and rice cookers, not to mention bringing along his entire officialdom for sisterhood talks with the administration of Mayor Samuel Laynes and a bus full of entertainers.

He was just sharing his blessings to the people of the island, just a month after visiting Virac. According to sources in Sorsogon, the man came from a simple family and had to work through college before running for mayor in Casiguran, defeating the bet of the powerful Escudero political clan.

After going through three terms, he stepped back and let his wife, Ma. Ester, run. Ester herself finished three terms as chief executive of the fourth-class town until 2016, when she successfully won the vice governorship in a landslide victory. She is now angling for mayor of Sorsogon City, with her husband set to complete the first of three terms.

According to sources in Sorsogon, Hamor ‘s family is engaged in the construction of public works projects, from which he gets the resources to mount impressive raffles and entertainment extravaganzas not only within Sorsogon but also in Samar and in nearby Albay. “La man magawa sa pera yan, ginapala nan ginapiko,” said one resident.

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THE MISSING SPY. When the CIA lost track of one of their operatives, they called in one of their top spy hunters. The CIA boss said: “All I can tell you is that his name is Jones and that he is in a small town somewhere in Wales. If you think you’ve located him, tell him the code words, ‘The forecast is for mist on the hills.’ And if you’ve got the right man, he will say, ‘But I hear it’s sunny in the valleys.’”

So the spy hunter set off for Wales and found himself in a small town. Reasoning that the local pub was the center of the community, he gradually engages the barman in conversation. Eventually he said: “Maybe you can help me. I’m looking for a man named Jones.”

The barman said: “You’re going to have to be more specific because around here there are hundreds of men named Jones. There’s Jones the bread, who runs the baker’s shop over the road; Jones the nail, who runs the hardware shop two doors down, not to mention Jones the bank, Jones the steam and Jones the fish. And as a matter of fact, my name is Jones, too.”

Hearing this, the spy hunter figured he might as well try the code words on the barman, so he leaned over the bar and whispered: “The forecast is for mist on the hills.”

The barman replied: “Oh, you’re looking for Jones the spy. He lives at number 44, halfway up the hill.”